About ReptileWatch

Reptiles are vanishing across north Australia, largely due to the impact of Cane Toads and other environmental management issues such as Fire. We have seen species such as Varanus panoptes (Yellow-spotted Monitor) and Pseudechis australis (King Brown Snakes) that were common, vanish from large areas of the NT in just a few years.

We have serious concerns about a range of reptile species right across northern Australia. Animals that were common just a few years ago are now being nominated as vulnerable, or worse under threatened species legislation.

As a move towards solving this problem have set up a ReptileWatch

This website is designed to provide information about reptiles from across Northern Australia. .

The site will also provide a coordination point for researchers and others working on issues relating to reptiles.

It is designed to perform a public education and awareness raising role as well as providing a coordination role to the research and wildlife sectors. One specific function for it is to provide a key knowledge bridge between these professional groups and the general public and wildlife enthusiasts.

The system is built on a database system to enable management of the systems to be distributed amongst the groups involved with the site and to maximise the automation of information flows and processes.

The core aims of the ReptileWatch project are to

• provide a focus point for information about the reptiles of North Australia
• facilitate community knowledge and awareness about reptiles and related issues
• educate people about reptiles in an attempt to increase knowledge about species and their distribution and habits.
• facilitate collaboration by researchers and other professionals working in this area. facilitate knowledge transfer, in both directions, between the general community, including indigenous communities, and the researchers
• raise the profile or reptile related issues in the NT through education.

The website aims to

• To promote awareness of reptiles and related environmental issues.
• To provide a focus on reptile issues in the NT.
• To play a coordination role for reptile activities and facilitate research communication.
• To provide resources to support reptile based activities.
• Maintain a bridging role between the scientific community and the general public.
• Data gathering relating to the impact the invasion of Cane Toads is having on reptile populations.

Please take the time to register as a user of the site as this will allow you access to more detailed sections of the information than just browsing a s guest.
Contact Information
BiodiversityWatch
P.O. Box 40245
Casuarina 0811
 
Ian Morris
ian.morris@riyala.org
 
Graeme Sawyer
Ph: 0411 881 378
gsawyer@pobox.com

Call BiodiversityWatch on 0889456005